Saudi Strike Kills 12 in Yemen Amid Escalating Hormuz Tensions

A Saudi strike killed 12 people and critically injured three others in Yemen, according to the Houthi authorities, as regional tensions intensified following a Houthi missile launch toward eastern Saudi Arabia and Iran’s claims that three oil tankers struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthi health ministry said the casualties resulted from an attack on family homes belonging to Ibrahim Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al-Qouz and Al-Raabi Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al-Qouz in Al-Barah, within the Maqbana district. The statement was carried by the Houthi-run Saba news agency. The reported casualties have not been independently verified.

Separately, the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said on Thursday that its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki announced the interception in a post on X, describing the Houthis as a terrorist militia.

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks attributed to the Iran-backed Houthis this month, including a strike on Riyadh’s international airport that was described as the kingdom’s deadliest in years. The Houthis also claimed earlier this week to have targeted the Ras Tanura refinery in the oil-rich Eastern Province with a ballistic missile.

Tehran has denied involvement in Houthi attacks after Riyadh accused Iran of encouraging the group’s escalating campaign against the kingdom.

Fighting in Yemen has intensified following an uneasy four-year truce, with hostilities reportedly resuming in July amid the wider regional crisis triggered by the US-Iran conflict.

Three Oil Tankers Reportedly Hit Mines in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that three oil tankers had caught fire after striking mines while attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement came a day after the US military maintained that key shipping routes through the strategic waterway had been cleared of mines.

According to an IRGC statement, the incidents occurred within the previous 24 hours as the vessels attempted to cross what Tehran considers an unauthorised southern route through the strait.

The Guards alleged that the tankers had switched off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings from the IRGC Navy. However, the vessels’ identities, flags and the precise timing of the incidents remained unclear.

Iran has reported several incidents involving ships allegedly striking sea mines in recent weeks. In response, US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the region, has reiterated that mines have been cleared from primary transit routes.

Challenging Washington’s assertions, IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi called on Thursday for independent evidence to support the US claim.

“Prove your Hormuz mine-clearing claim with independent evidence, not statements!” he wrote on X.

Since the conflict began on February 28, Iran has severely restricted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping corridor that normally carries approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and gas consumption.

The United States has responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ports and assisting commercial vessels navigating the waterway. On Sunday, CENTCOM said it had helped Gulf countries export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through Hormuz since the summer.

Iran considers vessels using the southern corridor near the Omani coast to be travelling along an unauthorised route. In its latest statement, the IRGC warned shipowners and crews that the route was mined and urged them not to rely on CENTCOM's statements on social media.

Earlier on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported receiving information about a ship on fire in the strait. It did not provide details about the cause or report any casualties. It remained unclear whether the vessel was among the three tankers mentioned by the IRGC.

In a separate announcement, the Guards also claimed to have captured a US reconnaissance drone during an operation in the western Strait of Hormuz. The statement identified the aircraft as an MQM-170 and said the IRGC Navy's electronic warfare unit had seized it. The claim was not independently verified.

JD Vance Reportedly Seeks to Revive US-Iran Peace Talks

US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly sent a letter to Iranian Security Council chief Mohsen Rezaei in an effort to restart peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

The Wall Street Journal reported the development on Wednesday, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter.

The reported outreach comes as military confrontations, disruptions to shipping and competing claims over security in the Strait of Hormuz continue to deepen regional uncertainty.